


Echoing souls

by Azzy_Diamond



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Determination (Undertale), F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, No More Resets (Undertale), Original Character(s), Papyrus survived, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, The Underground (Undertale), Underswap Chara - Freeform, Underswap Frisk - Freeform, Underswap Papyrus (Undertale), Underswap Sans (Undertale), Undertale Genocide Route, Undertale Reset Issues, Undertale Saves and Resets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-09 15:06:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17409119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azzy_Diamond/pseuds/Azzy_Diamond
Summary: "He called for help. But nobody came.Silence, the silence was everywhere. Outside, it was cold and dusty, and the air was unbreathable. So much blood had been shed, but now it was over. No more pain, no more suffering, just silence. Everyone was gone except him. He was the only one left in this snowy desert. Now, Papyrus was all alone."Left alone in the Underground after he survived a Genocide Run, Papyrus is ready to accept his fate and die. But a weird red glow catches his attention, saving him from Death.(Underswap AU)





	1. Echoing souls (Part 1)

**Author's Note:**

> Writing a new Fanfiction which can be interpreted as an AU, I don't know! I just had this idea in mind, and I wanted to write it down, so here you go! Also, I don't think it's going to be very long, maybe a two-shot or three chapters ? Whatever, enjoy!

He called for help. But nobody came.

Silence, the silence was everywhere. Outside, it was cold and dusty, and the air was unbreathable. So much blood had been shed, but now it was over. No more pain, no more suffering, just silence. Everyone was gone except him. He was the only one left in this snowy desert. Now, Papyrus was all alone. 

How did things had ended up like this ? After what he had done for this human, trying to understand them and their deadly nature, trying to help them find a better way of living, after all of this, how could they leave him like this ? He was hurt, both physically and mentally. The pain was unbearable. He didn't even know how he had survived, but here he was, walking across the infinite white sheet. Oh, how he hated that stupid human. He hated them so much.

"Why ? Why are you doing this to me ? What did I do to deserve all of this ? Answer me! Are you having fun out there, watching me suffer ?! I thought you were my friend! But you killed everyone, even the only one who was ready to forgive you after what you did!"

Papyrus gritted his teeth, holding his chest where his bloody wound was giving him sharp pain. Why was he even bothering ? They couldn't hear him, right ? Taking another step, he lost his balance, and his body hit the snow as he tried to catch his breath. He was left alone here, with nobody. Why ? Why weren't they resetting already ? Was it that hard ? He couldn't believe that he was going to be stuck in this dead place forever, all alone. But maybe they were doing it on purpose ? What was so funny about watching someone suffer so much ?

"I hate you... I hate you and your stupid genocide run. You killed my friends, my brother." He whispered, fighting against the agony he was feeling inside his soul, and then he smiled a bit. "You really could have finished your job here, heh. Ugh, it hurts."

The skeleton sighed getting colder and colder as time was passing by. He was lying in the snow, and he didn't have the strength to stand up, not anymore. The fight was over, he knew it. It was his turn to wait until Death takes him away. Papyrus closed his eyes accepting his fate more easily than he would have thought. He was going to join his brother, and that was making him happy, in a way. Soon, the pain would be gone, and this torture would be finished.

Suddenly, Papyrus heard something in the deep silence of Snowdin Town. It was a sweet voice, faded and faint in the dusty air. Weakly, he opened one eye socket and quickly looked around, hoping to find someone. But instead of a person, the only thing he noticed was a slight red glow in the snow, not far from him. It was weak, and for a moment, Papyrus thought that he had imagined it. Narrowing his eyes, he tried concentrating on seeing the glow again, and it worked. He saw it again, and again, and again. The soft light always appeared in the same spot, shining at the pace of a heartbeat.

"What is that ?" He asked himself, staring at it from where he was.

He hesitated for a second, but curiosity was too strong. He started slowly crawling in its direction, groaning in discomfort as his injury rubbed against the snow, leaving a bloody trail behind him. Carefully, he took snow in his hands, letting it fall between his fingers to reveal what was glowing under. And his breath stopped.

Here, in his hands, he was holding the fragment of a soul. It was shining weakly, but Papyrus could feel the warmth spreading in his palms as he was holding the delicate piece. Its deep red color was gorgeous, and the skeleton found himself crying at the mere sight of it. Tears poured down his cheekbones, and he brought the half-soul closer to his chest. Red was the color of DETERMINATION. Papyrus felt so relieved as if he had been saved. It was a light of hope through this endless misery. The lazy skeleton couldn't stop his tears, he was so glad.

All of a sudden, the comfortable warmth from the soul started fading away, worrying Papyrus. He glanced at the soft fragment in his bony hands, and he saw it starting to shatter. The pleasant hope immediately disappeared, leaving him concerned and anxious.

"No... No, no, no, no, no! No, don't go, I need your help!" He exclaimed, the red half-soul breaking even more.

Papyrus was thinking faster than he had never thought before. He needed to find a way to save this being, to help it live. But he was alone, and he didn't have anything to work on the soul. All of a sudden, the solution hit him like a rock, and he quickly made his own soul appear. He checked his HP, and even if it was pretty low because of his last fight, he still could help this soul. It was going to hurt, and he didn't know what would be the consequences. Was he going to survive ? If he didn't have enough HP, he was going to die from it, but he had to save this red soul. It might be his last chance to survive here.

"Please, buddy. Stay with me." He demanded softly, holding his soul closer to the red one. "I got you."

\------------------------------------------

"Why didn't you save us, Papy ? Why did you let everyone die ?"  
"Sans ? Sans! Where are you ?!"  
"You let me die. You did nothing to help us, to help me."  
"No! That's not true! I... I fought the human! But they were too strong!!"  
"Liar. You gave up on us, on me. I hate you, Papyrus."  
"No, little bro! Wait! Don't go! Sans..."

"SANS!!"

Papyrus snapped out of his dream violently. He was sweating, and breathing was hard. The lazy skeleton swallowed hard, trying to stop his mind for thinking too much about what he had just dreamt. When he finally came back to reality, he sighed deeply before glancing around him. Papyrus caught a pile of dirty laundry from the corner of his eyes and the very familiar tornado, next to the bed where he was lying. He was in his bedroom, for sure. 

"Was everything a simple dream ?" He thought, asking himself as he stood up from his bed. "My wound his gone too. I feel so much better. Did I imagine all of this ? The genocide run... Was it in my head ?"

The magic skeleton buried his hands in his pockets, and he teleported himself out of his room. The bright lights of the house made Papyrus narrowed his eye sockets for a moment before he was able to see again. The lamps in the living room were switched on, and there were sounds coming from the kitchen. Papyrus couldn't help but smile before walking quickly to the stairs, and he ran toward the kitchen. Everything was just a dream, he was so relieved! Sans would be here, cooking for him, and everything would go back to normal. He entered the room, smiling and ready to greet his little brother.

"Sans, I'm so-"

But he immediately stopped when he saw no one. Of course, what was he expecting ? It was not a dream. Sans was not here: he was dead, like everyone else. Papyrus' smile disappeared, and tears started building in his eyes. His brother was really gone, he won't ever see him again. He started crying again, feeling the pain in his bony chest come back. His soul was aching, and his eye sockets were burning as the tears fell down on the floor. He was shaking, not because he was cold, but because he felt desperate and miserable. Miserable that he had thought his little brother would be back, that his friends would be back. He was all alone, stuck here in this cold and lifeless Underground.

"Fuck... I'm sorry, Sans..." He whimpered. "I'm so sorry."

"Excuse me, are you alright ?"

Papyrus snapped his head up. This voice sounded like the one he had heard before. But this time, it wasn't just a whisper, it was real. The moment he raised his head, he was faced with someone. It was a human lady, a bit shorter than him, and her skin was very pale. She had white hair which was cut just above her shoulders, and her eyes had a strange cold blue color. She almost looked like a ghost, and she was staring at him, worried. The skeleton watched her for a moment before understanding who she was. The half-soul he had found, he had saved it, and now, she was here. This girl was the being who owned the red soul. It was her, his light of hope. 

The young lady blinked, a little nervous because Papyrus was staring at her. When he didn't answer her first question, she took a careful step toward him, slowly raising her hand to his face.

"Are you... Are you okay ?" She asked again, waiting for him to react.

Her hand was only a few millimeters from his face, and he grabbed it firmly, making the girl jolt. She gulped, thinking that Papyrus was mad because she was here without his permission, but he wasn't. He drew her closer to him, and surprisingly, he simply hugged her tight. The young lady was surprised for a moment, but she finally embraced him back when he started sobbing again. She could feel his suffering in her own soul, and her heart tighten.

"You lived, I'm so happy." He said between his soft cries. "I'm not alone..."

"Thanks to you." She whispered, letting Papyrus cry on her shoulder. "You saved me." 

\-----------------------------------------------

"Here, I'm not a great cook, but I'm pretty sure it's edible." The pale lady ensured, putting a plate of curry rice she had prepared in front of Papyrus.

"Thank you."

The skeleton took a mouthful of rice, and he nearly cried. The taste wasn't perfect, but right now, it seemed like the best thing he had ever eaten in his whole life. He sniffed, wiping his tears away before thanking the girl again. She smiled softly, and then she sat with him while he was eating his food. Papyrus glanced at her. She was playing with her fingers, peeping at him for time to time, looking uneasy and anxious. It appeared she wanted to say something, but she didn't know how.

"I'm very sorry." She started, not looking at him. "I know this situation is not simple for you, and I wish I could help you more."

"Don't worry, kiddo. You being here with me is enough." Papyrus said, looking at her. "But, could you do me a favor ?" She nodded. "Could you explain again what happened ? I'm not sure I understood everything."

The girl nodded before making her soul appeared. The red part of her soul was shining beautifully unlike the other half which was white and dull. Monsters' souls were not as elegant as humans' souls, but the two fragments were glued to each other perfectly as if they were meant to be together. Papyrus watched as the young woman was showing him her soul, and he did the same, making his white half-soul appeared.

"When you found my soul, we were both at the verge of death." She started explaining again. "I don't remember what happened to me before I found you. But you were here, lying in the snow, hurt. You looked so relieved when you took me in your hands, but my strength was slowly leaving me. And then, you decided to save me by giving me a fragment of your own soul so mine could be complete."

"Yes, I remember that. This part is clear in my head. It's what happened after."

"After this, I felt something inside of me, and when I opened my eyes, I had a body. You were lying next to me, and I guess you had fainted because of the pain. Your HP was dangerously low, don't ask me how I know that. I don't understand how I was even able to do that, but it looks like I succeed in healing you with some magic powers ?"

She stopped in her story to look at her hands. Weirdly, when she had seen that Papyrus was in danger, she had discovered an ability to heal. But she was certain that she didn't have anything like this before. Or did she ? She couldn't remember anything.

"I guess you actually gave me some powers when you gave me a part of your soul, I'm not sure. Anyway, I healed you, and I brought you into this house, which appeared to be your home. Then, you woke up, and now, we're here."

"Okay, so you saved me. Thank you." He said, and she assured that it was nothing. "But there is something I can't understand. You said that you don't remember anything, right ? Does that mean you don't know where you come from ? Were you living on the surface ? Are you even human ?"

"I-I don't know. The only thing I'm able to remember is my name, and I'm still not sure if it's my real one. But I recall someone calling me Lily, one day, so I guess I'm Lily ?"

Silence filled the room. They didn't know what to say to each other, but Papyrus hadn't introduced himself correctly, and he wanted to do it. He raised his hand and offered it to Lily. The girl blinked, staring at it with confusion.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lily. I'm Papyrus, Papyrus the skeleton."

"Nice to meet you too, Papyrus." She said, taking his hand in her own, shaking it. "So, I suppose you don't want to talk about it, but could you explain to me what happened here ? I mean, I guess something bad occurred because the atmosphere is awfully quiet and oppressive."

Papyrus thought for a second. Did he have the courage to tell her about everything ? It was going to be hard, bringing back horrible memories, but she deserved to know. The lazy skeleton sighed before looking at her with hurt eyes. Lily noticed it, and she raised her hands in front of her.

"Ah! Papyrus, you don't have to if-"

"No." He cut her in her sentence. "You need to know, so you can understand better the situation."

Lily nodded, and he began telling her everything. The life in the Underground, the human Chara, and their deadly other self Frisk, the RESETS, he even talked about his friends and his little brother. She listened to him with immense attention, waiting for him to finish. When Papyrus was done talking, she swallowed hard, feeling a weight in her chest. It was so difficult to hear that without crying. Her eyes were burning, but she fought back her tears, for her new friend's sake.

"So this human child, Chara, was possessed by another child who forced them to kill everyone ? This is so sad, I'm sorry about everything."

"No need to, it's not your fault." The skeleton assured, lightening a cigarette. "It's all over now. And we're stuck here forever."

Lily lowered her head, staring at her hands resting on her knees. She really wished she could help him, but she didn't even know what she was capable of. Papyrus blew some smoke, letting his head fall backward. He thought that Lily would be able to reset, but it seemed that she didn't have enough DETERMINATION to do that. Her soul wasn't even complete, and she would have died if Papyrus hadn't saved her in time. The skeleton sighed before glancing back at the young lady when she spoke again.

"This DETERMINATION thing... This is what you need to be able to reset, right ?" She asked, and he nodded. "Does every human has that kind of power inside his soul ?"

"No, only very determined humans can do it. Chara was one of those rare humans who could reset, if not the only one in the entire world."

"I see... I'm sorry, I don't think I'm capable of doing that."

"I know. At first, I thought you would be able to, but after some observation, the only part of your soul which is determined is not powerful enough to reset. And it's not my poor fragment of soul that could help you." Papyrus explained, watching her while smoking. 

"I'm sorry, you should have let me die. I'm not able to help you and get you out from here, I-"

But Papyrus stood up and rubbed her head, stopping her from saying more. Keeping his hand on her hair, he looked at her, smiling a little. However, Lily knew that this smile wasn't a real one, and though he was trying to cheer her up, she felt even worse seeing him force himself.

"Don't say that, kiddo. I didn't save you only to help me leave this damn place. I... I needed some company. The Underground is a very lonely and empty area when you are all by yourself. That's why you don't have to apologize. None of this is your fault, and despite everything, I'm happy and glad to have you here with me. So quit being so sad and give me a big smile!"

Lily stared at him before giving him a tiny smile. Papyrus seemed pleased with this, and he patted her head before walking to the kitchen to get something to drink.

The white-haired girl sighed quietly. If she was going to be stuck here with him, she needed to comfort the lazy skeleton. But she didn't even know what he liked to do. Lily glanced outside, maybe they could go out for a walk ? They would be able to talk and learn about each other more. She smiled before standing up, and she walked in the kitchen to get Papyrus.

\-----------------------------------------------

"Are you sure you want to go outside ?" The skeleton asked her as he watched her dressing up with one of his hoodies so she won't catch a cold.

"I'm sure there are nice places to go out there! But you'll have to be my guide because I don't know the area, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, okay kid. Whatever makes you happy."

Lily frowned a little, but she understood that Papyrus was having a hard time and that maybe, he didn't want to leave the house. But the young lady was determined not to let him smoke his sadness away all day. She opened the door and took a step outside, shivering when the cold air hit her face. She heard Papyrus close the door behind them, and she turned around to look at him.

"So, where should we go ?" Lily asked, starting to walk in the snow with her nex friend. "Do you know a nice place ?"

"I do. Does Waterfall sounds good to you ?"

"Yes! Let's go!" She exclaimed, trying to sound cheerful and excited.

They wandered for a few minutes, but then the skeleton stopped walking. Lily spun her head toward him, curious about why he was standing up in the middle of the way. She called for him before approaching him when he didn't answer.

"Papyrus, are you okay ?" She asked, following the direction of his gaze, and she froze too. "What is this ?"

In front of them, on the ground, a bed of white flowers was standing proudly in the middle of the snow. They were the most gorgeous flowers Papyrus had ever seen. But that's not what was bothering him: he was wondering how they could have grown in the snow. The young lady bent down before taking one and smelling it. 

"Do you know what kind of flower they are ?" The lazy skeleton questioned.

"No, I don't know. But they smell really nice! Here!"

She shoved the flower in Papyrus nose, and he sneezed hard. She giggled a little, apologizing because she didn't want to make him sneeze in the first place. Papyrus wiped his nose, staring at her with an unpleased expression.

"Hehe! I'm sorry, Papyrus! I didn't think you would actually react like this."

"Pfff, yeah right. Let's get going, Lily."

"But don't you want to know where these flowers come from ?"

The skeleton simply didn't answer, and he walked away, Lily following behind him after attaching the flower to the hoodie she was wearing. She smiled at him when he glanced at the white flower on her chest, and Papyrus shrugged.


	2. Echoing souls (part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of Lilytale is here! I was very inspired for this one, and I'm proud of how it turned out! Enjoy it~

"This place is absolutely wonderful!" Lily exclaimed, walking in Waterfall with Papyrus by her side.

He had his hands in his pockets, and he was watching as the girl was jumping from puddle to puddle, laughing like a child. She was amazed by the beauty of the area. Papyrus blew smoke, taking a quick glance around him before sighing. This place was far from being as impressive as it was before. The silence was weighty, and the air was dusty from monsters' powder. The skeleton swallowed and raised a hand to his mouth, feeling a cold shiver ran down his spine. Lily didn't seem too affected by the atmosphere around them. She was grinning from ear to ear, watching her reflection in a puddle of water and humming a song. Weirdly, her sudden good mood was making Papyrus mad. She could have been sorry or sad about what happened, but the young lady didn't appear to care. She was happy as if anything had occurred in the Underground, and that was driving the skeleton crazy. He sighed furiously but didn't say anything, letting Lily enjoy the walk. 

After some more minutes wandering in the Waterfall area, they both arrived at the Echoflowers' field. Lily smile grew wider as soon as her eyes landed on the beautiful blue flowers, and she ran toward it, approaching the plants with a curious expression.

"Hey, Papyrus! What is that ?" She asked eagerly but was surprised when she heard a voice repeating what she had just said. "W-What ?"

"These are Echoflowers," Papyrus said, staring at her with a bored expression. "They have the ability to repeat everything they heard."

Papyrus last sentence was echoed by many flowers around them, making Lily laugh. These flowers were fantastic! Papyrus shrugged when the white-haired girl expressed her fascination, and he turned around. Sans was also a big fan of these plants. He was always enthusiastic about coming here, and he often talked to the Echoflowers, making them repeat everything he was saying. Papyrus gritted his teeth. His little brother loved this place. 

Lily smiled as she was eyeing the flower, and she turned her head toward her friend. But she noticed that he was shaking and that he was tightening his fist. Standing up, she approached him, brushing her hand against his arm to get his attention.

"Papy, are you o-" 

She was cut in her sentence when Papyrus snapped her hand away from him, startling her. The pale lady rubbed her palm before looking at him. His face was twisted in pure hatred and his right eye was glowing with a faint orange color. Lily swallowed, taking a step back.

"Don't call me like that." The skeleton spat harshly, glaring at her. "Only my friends can call me that. We're not friends."

"I-I'm sorry... I thought we-"

"And stop apologizing for nothing!! Just stop!!" He yelled before sighing deeply. "I'm going home. You know the way back, so don't follow me."

Papyrus turned his back toward Lily before walking away, in the direction of Snowdin Town. The girl watched him disappear before lowering her head. She didn't understand why he was so angry all of a sudden. Did she do something wrong ? Lily took a look at the Echoflowers around her: she was all alone now, and oddly, the calm and the desolation of the area struck her. Her past joy was gone, and she found it hard to breathe. Maybe that was what Papyrus was feeling all the time ? She might have angry him because of her excitation, and now, he hated her. Lily fought back tears, wiping them as soon as they appeared in her cold blue eyes. She had to stay strong if she wanted to help Papyrus. Lily sighed. How was she supposed to help the skeleton if she couldn't reset ? She sat down next to an Echoflower. 

"Maybe if I'm very determined, I would be able to create a RESET button ?" She suggested herself out loud, hearing all the flowers repeat after her. 

But suddenly, she heard something else from next to her. It wasn't her voice, and it wasn't what she had just said. It was more like a cruel giggle, mocking and evil, and it was coming from the Echoflower next to her. Lily swallowed hard, feeling her heart tighten in her chest when the sinister laughter came back. She frowned, glancing at the flower next to her.

"Who's there ?" She asked, trying to sound confident but inside, she was terrified.

"You're so stupid, dear Lily." The voice said, making the girl with white hair turned her head completely toward the flower. "Since when do you think that you're the one in control ?" 

Lily tried standing up, but a sudden pressure on her chest was restraining her from moving. She didn't know if this weight was real or not, but she was afraid for sure. She was kept on the ground, the dark around her creating threatening shadows that seemed to stare at her. The young lady gulped, feeling a cold sweat ran down her spine, making her shiver. She had a hard time to breathe, her chest was tight, and hurting her. 

"You think that you can help that smiley trashbag ? Don't fool yourself. You're not a human, not a monster, your just a being existing because of someone else. You don't even remember who you were before, pathetic. You're wandering between these two worlds, trying to convince yourself that you are someone when you're nobody. Face the truth, you will never be determined enough to reset this timeline. I'll be watching you, Lily. And don't even try telling the skeleton, I'm warning you."

The white-haired girl gritted her teeth, trying to escape from the grasp that was holding her on the floor. Her head was pounding, every word echoing in her mind, and burning her like opened wound. Finally, the pressure left, and Lily was able to breathe correctly. She coughed before raising her head toward the darkness where she saw two red eyes glowing. They disappeared the next second, leaving her alone in the silence.

\-----------------------------------------------------

The next day, the white-haired girl was woken up when the front door of Papyrus' house closed behind him while he was leaving. She yawned, standing up, and she noticed that she was wrapped in a blanket. Lily smiled a little, but her smile quickly faded away.

The day before, after what happened with this weird voice, Lily had come back home. She didn't know what to think about it, was it all in her head ? Did she had imagined it ? But it was so real. She was so tired when she had entered the house that she had let herself flop onto the sofa before falling asleep here. Papyrus was certainly the one who had covered her so she won't be cold during the night.

"I should thank him later." She suggested to herself, making her way to the kitchen to grab something to eat. "I wonder where he went. Maybe I should go find him, but... What if he is still mad at me ?"

Lily sighed, pouring herself a cup of coffee before drinking it quickly. She looked inside the fridge, frowning. It wasn't good, they were going to run out of food soon. They needed to find a way to leave this place promptly.

Some minutes later, Lily left the house to look for Papyrus. She knew that he had told her to stop apologizing, but she really was sorry for the day before. And the girl was determined to be friends with him. She decided not to tell him about what happened the day before, just to make sure nothing happened. The pale lady looked in Snowdin, but when she couldn't find Papyrus, she sighed. He could be everywhere, the Underground was huge. He could be in Waterfall, or even in the area after. Or maybe he was in the forest before Snowdin, or in the Ruins ? She didn't know where to look first. When she was still a half-soul, she had entered the Underground by a hole in the Ruins. She knew how to go there, but Papyrus could be elsewhere. Lily scratched her head before heading out of Snowdin, toward the forest. She had decided that she was going to look at the Ruins because it was the nearest area. If Papyrus wasn't there, she would just go home and wait until he comes back.

The girl left Snowdin Town before stepping into the forest. It was even colder here, but Lily was covered with a coat she had found in Papyrus closet. She hoped that he wouldn't be too mad about that. She walked for a few minutes, looking everywhere to find the lazy skeleton. 

"How big is this forest ?" She questioned herself, blinking. "I swear... He is lucky I want to help him that bad."

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her head and in her soul. It was so hard that she fell on her knees, holding her head with both her hands, shutting her eyes. It felt as if someone was hitting her skull this a hammer, knocking her violently. Her soul was aching and her heart was beating so fast she was hearing it in her ears. It was so uncomfortable. Lily whined in agony, digging her head in the snow in an attempt to sooth the suffering. But it was even worse; the white powder was burning her face because it was too cold. At this moment, in the middle of her distress, Lily saw something. It was like a flash, a picture which appeared in front of her eyes before disappearing immediately. She saw herself, smiling and talking with people she couldn't recognize. But they were human ?

"Stop... What is this ? Stop, please, it hurts!" She screamed, gritting her teeth so hard she could break them. "STOP!!"

And then, the next minute, everything stopped. Lily panted, trying to catch her breath. The pain was gone, but her heart was still racing like crazy and her eyes were wet. When she stood up, her vision was blurry and her legs felt like jelly under her weight. She moaned in distress, losing every notion of time and space. Where was she ? She took a step forward, swaying a little on her feet, and suddenly, she lost her balance. When her body didn't hit the ground, Lily snapped out of her unconsciousness, and she caught the edge of the cliff just in time. One more second, and she would have fallen down the ravine. She groaned, trying to pull herself up, but she had no strength left.

"Shit..." She swore, sinking her fingers deeper into the ground. "Papyrus!! I need your help here!!"

Lily called for help, but she didn't even know if the skeleton could hear her. She waited a few minutes, but nobody came. Tears formed in her eyes as she tried to climb again, but it was a waste of time. Her fingers were hurting her, and she felt herself let go of the cliff little by little. She was going to die here ? But she hadn't even help Papyrus leaving this damn place. She couldn't die now.

"I can't die here!" She exclaimed, crying. "I need to save Papyrus! I won't die!! I won't die again!!"

The ache in her soul suddenly appeared again, making her groaned in pain. She released her grip on the cliff, feeling her body fall into the air. Lily closed her eyes, preparing herself for the contact with the ground, but it never came. Instead, she felt a warm aura around her, and when she opened her eyes, she was floating in the air. Looking up, Lily saw Papyrus. He was bent over the cliff, teeth tighten and his hand reaching in her direction. He was using his magic to save her! The white-haired girl felt her heart beat with joy and relief.

"Papyrus!!" She shouted, smiling. 

"Don't move, I'm going to lift you here!" He ordered, and Lily nodded before feeling her body move on his own.

Papyrus lifted her slowly before putting her on the ground. The girl sighed as soon as her knees touched the snow. She was alive, again, the lazy skeleton had saved her from death. She raised her head, ready to say something, but his glare prevented her to talk. He was quicker than her to open his mouth to speak.

"Are you out of your mind ?! You could have died!" He yelled. "What were you doing here anyway ? I didn't ask you to come!"

Lily frowned. She had come to find him because she was worried, and he had the guts to tell her that she shouldn't have come ? Papyrus had left her alone at home without saying anything, and she was the one who was out of her mind ? Oh, it was on. Papyrus sighed, crossing his arms.

"Now, listen to me, kiddo. You-"

"NO!! YOU listen to me, you stupid lazy skeleton!!" She cut him, making Papyrus blink in confusion. She was yelling at him ? "I woke up this morning, all by myself in your house! Do you know how worried I was ?! I was afraid that something bad might happen to you!! I looked for you for an entire hour!! I called your name, and you didn't even bother to answer!! And I am the one who is crazy ?!"

She panted, not used to be so angry, before sighing deeply. Papyrus was so taken aback that he didn't know what to say or do. He was simply looking at her, speechless while the girl was calming herself down. Lily expression soon softened, and she scratched her head, staring down at the snow. She opened her mouth to apologize, but Papyrus spoke before she could.

"I'm sorry." He said in a low voice. "I shouldn't have left you. I just needed to be alone for a moment, you know, so I could think about everything."

"I understand, you know, I'm not that dumb. But you could have told me."

"Yeah, you're right." He paused for a second before looking at her. "Also I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. I didn't mean it, you are my friend."

"Don't be sorry, I know you didn't say it on purpose, you were just mad and not feeling well. Besides, I should have acted otherwise."

Lily smiled softly, opening her arms, and Papyrus let himself fall in her embrace, hugging her too. It was a sincere embrace, and it made them feel better. Still holding the skeleton against her, Lily opened her eyes when she heard a rustle in the snow. She widened her eyes when she saw a thousand white flowers grow from under the snow. It was beautiful. She poked her friend's back, showing him the bed of flowers around them. Papyrus glanced at it before looking back to Lily.

"Are you the one doing it ?" He asked, and she shook her head. "Maybe you don't do it consciously ? Still, I don't understand how they can grow here, in the snow."

"I don't know, but they are the most gorgeous lily flowers I've ever seen."

"Lily flowers ?" The lazy skeleton questioned. "I thought you didn't know what type of flower they were..."

Lily stopped in her track, staring at her friend. He was right, the day before, she had told him that she didn't recognize these flowers. And that was the case, she really didn't know what their name was. But right now, as she was looking at the white plants under their feet, she remembered their title perfectly. The young lady held her head, feeling the sharp pain come back. Papyrus asked her if she was alright, and she nodded. The pain wasn't that hard this time.

"Something happened earlier." She started. "My head and my soul were hurting me, and I saw flashes. It was as if visions were flying in front of my eyes very quickly."

"What did you see ?"

"It wasn't distinct, but I think I saw humans. I saw me, smiling and laughing with them. However, I don't know who they were."

Papyrus nodded before taking a look to the flowers under their body. Now that he was thinking about it, the first flowerbed had been at the exact place where Lily had saved him. Furthermore, the girl had told Papyrus that she had felt a strong sensation when she had healed him. Maybe the flower grew only when she showed strong emotions ? It was a weird mystery, but they both decided not to take care of it for the moment.

The lazy skeleton stood up, helping his friend up by giving her his hand. Lily sighed, removing the snow powder on her knees before looking back at Papyrus. He smiled, blowing smoke in the girl's face in a teasing way.

"Let's go home."


	3. Echoing souls (part 3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I had so many ideas for this chapter! I didn't think that it would be that long! xD So in the end, it's not finished yet, but the next chapter would be the last! Anyway, enjoy~

"Hey, Papyrus, I was wondering if you could tell me about your brother ?" Lily asked softly, as they were both walking toward Snowdin.

The skeleton remained silent for a moment, and then he sighed before smiling at the white-haired girl. She was curious about Sans ? Papyrus nodded, starting to tell Lily everything about his dear younger brother. He told her a lot of stories and things that had happened to them, and how Sans was always smiling and cheerful. He told her his dedication to capturing humans and entering the royal guard, and how he was way too nice and cute to hurt someone. Lily listened to him, not saying anything, but she was smiling and nodding at things he was saying. When he finished talking, Lily wiped a tear falling of her eye.

"I see. It seems that he was very kind. I wish I could meet him somehow." She said, trying to remain cheerful. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked. Don't want to make you feel bad."

"No problem."

Lily smiled but deep inside, she was very sad. Papyrus loved his brother and his friends, and she was certain that he would do anything to get them back. He wanted to go back to his normal life, she could tell. The young lady sighed, lowering her head. Soon, they arrived at Papyrus' house, and the skeleton turned toward her.

"I'm going to take a nap, okay ? I'll be in my room if you need my help. After that, maybe I could take you to Hotland ? Or the Ruins ? What do you think ?" He suggested, smiling a bit, and she nodded.

"Sounds good to me."

Papyrus rubbed her head before waving at her and walking inside his bedroom upstairs. Lily remained silent for a moment before climbing upstairs too and approaching Papyrus bedroom. She wanted to tell something, but she stopped when she heard sobbing behind the door. What did she expect ? Of course, the lazy skeleton was desperate. She swallowed, trying to fight back her tears before turning around and going to the bathroom. She took a quick shower, and then looked at her face in the mirror. Her white skin seemed even paler because of the exhaustion she was feeling, and her cold blue eyes looked miserable. She sighed deeply, hiding her face behind her hands. She was thinking so fast, but she couldn't find anything to help Papyrus.

"You really think you can save him, huh ?" A voice echoed in her head, making her jump and look back at her reflection.

But it wasn't her in the glass in front of her. She was faced with an evil face, smiling widely and staring intensely at her. Lily gulped, but she didn't say anything because the reflection made a silent gesture. The voice in her head came back, giggling. Lily tried stepping back, but she was stuck here, not able to move a single finger.

"I told you before, you're nothing. You can't train your DETERMINATION enough to be able to reset this timeline." The voice added while the face in the mirror grinned even more. "Everyone will be sad forever."

The white-haired girl smiled a bit. She was afraid, but she had enough of this little game. She wasn't going to fall for these threatening words said by an imaginary being in her head.

"You really like seeing people suffer." She whispered softly. "You can't stop me."

The face stopped grinning, her expression in the mirror distorted with anger. But the smile soon returned to its face, and it started slowly fading away.

"We'll see."

Lily closed her eyes, before opening them again when she could move. She sighed, looking at her face in the mirror. She needed to think again, she needed to think even more. Leaving the bathroom, she went to Papyrus' room, slightly opening the door. The skeleton was soundly asleep, making the lady smile. She went downstairs, grabbing on of Papyrus' coats. Then she left a note on the kitchen table, saying that she was going outside for a walk, before leaving the house without any noise.

Lily wandered in the Underground for an entire hour. She walked around Snowdin and Waterfall, making sure not to hurt herself or fall down a giant hole. Then, she sat in the Echoflowers' field. She loved this place because it was very peaceful and lovely. But it was pretty lonely too where Papyrus wasn't around. She started thinking, trying to find a solution. Her powers weren't strong enough for the moment, she didn't even know what she was capable of, or if she still had them. She wiped some sweat which was coming down her forehead. The pressure was too strong for her to bear, and she sighed.

"Seriously, Lily, you're thinking too much." She told herself, laughing. "You need to let off that stress... Huh... Knock knock."

She smiled when the flowers around her repeated the beginning of the bad joke. Papyrus had told him that Sans hated his puns when he was alive. But he was sure that they had helped him feel better more than one time. And it was quite working, Lily felt already better as soon as her words echoed through the field.

Knock knock. Knock knock. Knock knock.

"Who's there ?" A faint voice suddenly asked, making the girl jumped in surprise.

It wasn't the one from earlier. This voice was more low and grave, but it also seemed rough. She stood up, looking around her, but there was no one. She started her joke again, and the same voice came back.

"Who's there ?" It questioned again before continuing. "Follow...me..."

Lily nodded, starting to follow the voice which was guiding her through the Echoflowers field. She didn't know who it was, but she wanted to find out because maybe, they could help her. When the voice finally stopped guiding her, she was faced with a strange grey door. Nobody was around, and it took her all her courage to grab the handle and push the door open. She entered the room which was pitch black.

"Hello ?" She said, uncertain before stepping inside even more.

She was startled when the door suddenly slammed behind her, locking her in the dark. Lily called for someone, but no one answered her. She rubbed her head and was ready to turn around when something appeared in front of her. It wasn't someone, but more like a goopy colorful mass shaped like a skeleton. She approached it, touching it softly with her hand.

"Excuse me ? I-"

"Thank you for coming." The mass said, looking at her. "I know what you're trying to do, and I want to help you, but I'm running out of time and power. Let me see your soul."

Lily blinked, but she decided to trust this weird person, and she made her soul appeared in her hands. It was still like before, half red, half white, but it seemed that the red fragment was glowing even more than before. Maybe it was just her imagination ? She showed it to the mysterious man, glancing at him as he was staring at her soul. His crooked smile grew wider, making the girl a bit uneasy.

"I see. What you need is more DETERMINATION to complete your soul." He said, his words echoing in the black space they were in. "But you can't create this DETERMINATION alone."

"So, how can I help Papyrus ?" Lily questioned, feeling like he wasn't helping her.

"The lab... You'll certainly find what you need in the lab. But you shouldn't tell Papyrus or he won't let you go there. This is a dangerous place to go, so you have to be careful."

Lily nodded, but something was bothering her. She told the goopy man that this murderer child was trying to stop her. However, this information didn't alarm the mysterious person, who simply smile at Lily.

"Do not worry, my child. This kid won't cause you any harm as long as you stay determined. Now, it is time for you to go. Walk in Hotland, this is where the lab is. I'm sure you'll find it without problems." He assured her, and Lily felt her head starting to spin.

"W-Wait! Who are you ? Do you need help too ?" She asked quickly, trying to keep her mind, but her vision became blurry.

"You're too good, young lady. But you know, some things have to be kept secret."

Lily felt her body fall in the dark, and when she suddenly opened her eyes, as if she was waking up, she was back in the Echoflowers' field. She gasped, jolting awake and standing up before looking around her. The pale girl sighed, but her eyes filled up with determination. She knew where she had to go. 

"Let's go to Hotland. I need to find that lab." She said out loud, taking a step.

Lily started walking toward the end of Waterfall and to Hotland. She didn't like the fact that she was doing this without Papyrus, but the mysterious man had told her that the lazy skeleton didn't really enjoy this place. She walked for thirty-minutes before arriving in Hotland. The temperature and the weather were not the same than in Waterfall, and Lily had to take off her coat so she wouldn't die because of the heat. But, hopefully for her, she quickly found somewhere to rest. It was a big building in the middle of Hotland, filled with technological projects. The floor was dusty, making Lily feel sick. She knew that dust was the remaining of dead monsters, it was like walking on corpses. Swallowing her disgust away, she started looking around the building to find something linked to this mysterious laboratory. From what Papyrus had told her before she left, this place was owned by the royal scientist, Undyne. That explained why there were anime jackets and figurines everywhere. This girl was a real nerd. Lily smiled a bit, before stopping in front of a door. When she tried opening it, it was locked which made her even more curious about it. Why was it locked ? She didn't know this part of the Underground so she didn't know what was behind. Maybe some weird room ? Or a secret passage ? Lily looked around her: she needed to find something to open this door. The white-haired lady stepped more around the place, and she found a crowbar hidden in a corner of the room.

"This should work." She told herself, approaching the door before trying to open it.

She pushed on it with all her strength, and finally, the door slammed open in a loud metal noise. Lily sighed, catching her breath before entering. It was an elevator. She glanced at the buttons, pushing the one to go down, but nothing happened. Lily swore: it was not working anymore ? She was ready to give up and leave, but she suddenly stopped. She knew this feeling, she couldn't move anymore. Watching her reflection on the elevator wall, she saw her eyes become bloody red.

"What are you doing here ?" The cold and childish voice asked her. 

"Mind your business." Lily answered, trying to sound confident.

"Not when you put your ugly nose everywhere. Leave this place, now." 

"Why ?" The pale lady questioned, smirking a little. "Are you afraid that I find something that could be useful ? Yes, this is it. You are terrified. Terrified that I find enough DETERMINATION to reset this timeline. But you know what ? You can't stop me, and you can't kill me either."

"You're right, I can't kill you. Well, to be exact, I can't kill you directly."

A creepy smile appeared in the reflection, sending chills down Lily's spin. What does that mean ? The girl swallowed hard, trying to keep her calm, but she was panicking inside. She heard dangerous noises coming from above her, meaning that what was next would be terrible for her. She gritted her teeth.

"W-What are you doing ?"

"Something I should have done since your creation."

Lily felt her body move again, and she tried throwing herself out the elevator, but it was too late. It was already falling, bringing her down as well.

\-------------------------------------------

Papyrus yawned as he left his bedroom, scratching his back. He didn't know what time it was, but he had been sleeping for a long time, and Lily was certainly bored right now. He went downstairs, thinking that he would find his friend on the sofa, but she wasn't here.

"Lily ? Hey, where are you ?" He asked, waiting for an answer, but he didn't get any. "Where is she ?"

The tall skeleton walked into the kitchen, finding Lily's note on the table, and he read it before sighing. At least, now, he knew where she was. Papyrus left the house, dragging his feet in Waterfall's direction. He was positive that Lily was laying in the field, listening to the Echoflowers. But when he reached the area, he couldn't find her anywhere. He was starting to get worried. Calling for her, he looked around another time, hoping to find her hidden somewhere. But there was no one else beside him. Still walking, Papyrus brushed against one of the blue flowers, making it speak. And what he heard freeze him in horror.

"Let's go to Hotland. I need to find that lab."

The flowers started echoing Lily's words over and over again, Papyrus staring at them with widened eyesockets. No, it couldn't be true. Why was she going to the lab ? It was too dangerous to go there alone! And how did she even know about that laboratory ?! The lazy skeleton tightened his fists, and he started running toward Hotland.

"Please, Lily. Don't do anything reckless!"

\--------------------------------------------

"Huh..." 

Lily opened her eyes, holding her head to soothe the pain she was feeling inside. She looked around her: the girl was laying in the elevator. standing up, she groaned in discomfort before walking outside the cabin. It was very dark in there, and Lily couldn't see anything. She quickly checked her HP to see if she could bear with the pain, and she sighed. This fall had nearly killed her, it was a miracle that she was still alive. Was it fate ? Or maybe the fact that she had a hybrid soul ? She didn't know, but she had to be careful by now. Lily made her soul appeared, taking it gently between her hands, and she closed her eyes, trying to concentrate. A warm feeling embrace her soul, healing it little by little. When she was fully restored, Lily checked the surroundings. The place was horribly cold, sending shivers down her spine, but there was nothing around, except for a screen text hanging on the wall. She approached it, and the screen suddenly lightened up. The young lady blinked before reading it.

Entry number 5: I've done it. Using the blueprints, I've extracted it from the human SOULs. I believe this is what gives their SOULs the strength to persist after death. The will to keep living... The resolve to change fate. Let's call this power... "Determination."

Lily stopped. This thing looked like a diary, a science diary. It suddenly all made sense in her mind. Was she in the laboratory ? The one where the mysterious man wanted her to go ? Where she would be able to find DETERMINATION ? It seemed like it. The pale girl smiled, more than happy she had found the right place. In the end, this deadly fall had a positive side. 

She started walking inside the lab, looking for what she was here in the first place. Searching around the area, she finally found an office. There were many papers spread on the floor, and the whole room was a mess. Lily wondered what had happened in there for this place to be so messy. She entered and started looking everywhere. In one of the desk's drawers, she found a key with a label. It had been erased with time, but she could read "....ter......tion r...om". Lily smiled because, in her opinion, it really sounded like "determination room". Now, she simply had to find this room.

Lily suddenly heard a weird growl behind her. She gulped and turned her head, but there was nothing in the room with her. Burying the key in her pocket, she immediately left the office. She was walking faster, feeling as if someone or something was following her everywhere. She was also hearing noises coming from around her. Lily knew that she wasn't alone, and she was scared to know who it was. Without even noticing it, she started running.

"Where is that damn room ?" She asked herself, sweating more and more as the noises were coming closer.

Turning in a corridor, she suddenly froze when she felt a presence behind her. She had a hard time breathing, and her heart was pumping fast in her chest. She heard a whine, and then, something brushed her legs, startling her. She closed her eyes in fear, but nothing happened. When she opened it again, a weird white goopy mass was laying at her feet, acting like a dog. Indeed, it looked like a sort of strange pup. The white-haired girl stared at it, before risking to pet him on the head. She did it slowly and carefully, and the dog yelp happily. She couldn't help but smile, seeing this creature.

"You seem like a good boy, right ?" She told him as he was waving his tail. "What are you doing down here ?"

The creature barked, the noise echoing oddly as if they were many in one body. He then ran toward a direction, looking at Lily, beckoning her to follow him.

"Oh! Do you want to show me the way ? Thank you!"

She started following him around the lab, and then, they stopped in front of a door. She hadn't seen it in the dark, and it seemed that this door was highly protected, however, the devices weren't working for a long time. Lily took the key in her pocket, and she unlocked the door before looking at her new friend.

"This is the moment of truth, buddy. I hope for the best."

She entered the room, the dog whining behind her. Lily told him not to worry, and she stepped inside, being careful with every move she was making. The room was filled with weird devices and machines, surely made to extract DETERMINATION and other science stuff. And in the middle of the room, there was a table with an open case on it. Lily approached the desk, and she took one of the little flasks which were inside. Empty. She took another. Empty too. Every one of the flasks was completely empty. The young lady swallowed hard. In the end, she really couldn't do anything, huh ? She wasn't able to help and save Papyrus and everyone else, after all. Tears started running down her pale cheeks, and she fell on her knees, holding herself to the desk. It was her last hope.

"Fuck..." She sobbed, hiding her face behind her hand. "Papyrus... Sans... Everyone... I'm sorry... I'm sorry!!"

She cried, feeling desperate, betrayed and hurt. Everything would remain the same, sad and empty, just like this place, just like hers and Papyrus' souls. She sniffed when suddenly, Lily felt the white creature slightly pushing her arm. She looked at him, tears still falling down her face, but he put something on her laps before barking cheerfully. When she glanced down, she froze in shock. That red glow... Finally, she had reached her goal. She had found DETERMINATION.


	4. Echoing souls (final part)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this is the final part! I'm quite sad tbh xD I grew very attached to this fanfiction because I love US!Papyrus! I'm so happy how the end turned out, and I would lie if I said that I didn't cry a bit while I was writing it! Anyway, hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did!  
> Also, there are some references about the Undertale game, some are obvious but others aren't that much except if you're a real fan like me xD

Papyrus arrived in Hotland, running and out of breath. He had looked everywhere for Lily, but the girl had certainly already found the laboratory. He only hoped that she hadn't hurt herself or anything worse. The lazy skeleton walked into Undyne's lab, looking around him.

"Lily! Lily, answer me!" He yelled, looking for her in the lab.

When he approached the elevator, he noticed that the door had been forced open, and the cabin wasn't here anymore. Papyrus swallowed hard. What if Lily had fallen with it ? No one would survive a fall like that. He felt his soul tighten in his chest, but quickly, the monster shook these thoughts away. No, Lily wasn't dead, he could feel it. He bent over the elevator entrance, trying to hear if there were noises coming from the secret laboratory. He couldn't catch anything.

"Lily!! If you're down here, don't move! I'm coming to get you!!" He screamed, his words echoing between the walls.

Papyrus turned around. He knew another way to get down in the lab, he simply hoped that Undyne hadn't sealed it when the genocide run had started. Luckily, the second entrance was still here, hiding behind a big shelf. The skeleton moved it with his powers, not bothering with the books falling on the floor, and he started going down the stairs to find Lily. He knew that she was there as soon as he stepped into the lab because the doors were opened. Papyrus looked around him; this place was giving him chills and he could feel his sins crawling down his back. What was Lily looking for in here ? This place was left behind for a long time now, even Undyne didn't come that often, too nervous about its existence. He walked for a few minutes, looking in every room for his female friend. She could be everywhere, and he really hoped that she wasn't hurt or anything.

\--------------------------------------------

Lily stared at the filled flask in her hands, glowing with a beautiful red color. Now, she was crying from relief and happiness, holding carefully the DETERMINATION between her palms. She looked at the weird dog beside her which was wiggling his tail, watching her. Lily patted his head softly, thanking him before standing up. Now, she needed to find a needle or something, so she could inject this thing in her body. But she knew that the only things she would find here would be all rusty and dangerous. Still, she needed a needle, even if it meant catching something bad with it.

Leaving the room, she started walking in the corridors again, burying the flask in her pocket. The dog followed her, but he suddenly stopped, making Lily turned her head toward him. When she asked him what was wrong, he began running away from her, in another direction, leaving her behind. Confused but also a bit worried, Lily chased him. He was going all the way back, toward the entrance of the laboratory. Hiding behind a corner, Lily waited, hearing the dog growl at something or someone.

"Wh- Hey! No! Stop it! My leg is not a toy!" A familiar voice exclaimed.

"P-Papy ? What are you doing here ?" The white-haired girl asked, showing from behind the wall.

The goopy dog was chewing on Papyrus' leg, holding him on the lab floor. The lazy skeleton groaned before raising his head and looking at the girl. She approached him, ordering her new friend to stop, and she helped Papyrus to stand up. He sighed, before crossing his arms and glaring at her. Lily gulped, he seemed mad.

"What are you doing here ?" He questioned her, frowning. "It's dangerous to come here alone."

"I wasn't alone, this good boy right here was with me."

"Yeah, luckily, you found the nicer Amalgamate of this place." He said, looking around him.

"Amal-what ? Is it its name ?"

She was ready to tell something, but Papyrus grabbed her by the hand, leading her toward the exit. She glanced at him, and the skeleton told her that they needed to leave this place. But Lily hadn't finished what she was here for. She got away from his grip, making him look at her in confusion. She shook her head negatively, taking the red flask from her pocket.

"I need to find a needle." She simply told him, turning around.

"What ? Are you mad ? You're going to catch something if you use a needle from here!" The monster exclaimed, grasping her by the wrist. "What do you need to inject any- ?"

He stopped when Lily showed him what she had in her hand. It was a rest of DETERMINATION that Undyne has used in the past. The flask was almost full with that red glowing thing. Papyrus glanced at Lily then back at the flask, then back at the girl again. He was so shocked. This is what she was looking for down here ? But why ? He opened his mouth to talk, but she was quicker. She took his bony hand in her own, smiling, her eyes tearing up a little.

"I found it, Papy. Now, I just need to inject this in my body, and I'm sure I will be able to reset this timeline!" She declared, happy.

Papyrus swallowed. She wanted to reset ? This is why she had come here ? She was putting her life in danger to save him ? He couldn't believe it. Why ? They only knew each other for a few days, and she was ready to risk her entire life just to save him. She was either crazy or completely oblivious of the dangers. Papyrus grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her a little.

"What are you saying ?! You don't have to do that!" He yelled, gritting his teeth. "I told you I was okay with living here with you!! I don't need you to risk your life to reset!"

Lily stopped, looking at him as her smile disappeared little by little. No, it wasn't true. He was saying this because he was worried about her, but he didn't have to. She frowned, tightening her grip on the red flask. For a moment, Papyrus saw something in her eyes. It was... DETERMINATION ?

"Stop lying to me!! I'm not dumb or naive!!" She screamed back, startling him. "I'm your friend!! And I know that you are not okay with spending the rest of your life down here, with me! You have a family, you have many other friends, why would you stay with me ? You can't be happy here."

The lazy skeleton felt tears forming in his eye sockets, and he quickly hid his face behind his hands. Lily sighed softly, putting her palm on his head, and smiling a bit. He was sad and desperate, she knew it. And he couldn't lie to her about this because she understood him better than anyone. Papyrus' head fell on the pale girl shoulder, and he started sobbing against her, the same way he had done it the first day they had met. He apologized while crying, saying that he had tried really hard to be happy, and not to think about his life before the genocide run.

"But... I can't- I... Sans' face is haunting me, Lily! I see him everywhere!" He cried, holding her against him. "I'm sorry. I really wanted to live with you, so you wouldn't have to do that!"

"It's okay, Papy. I'm still your friend, you know ? And I understand what you're feeling." The girl told him, rubbing his back softly. "I promise that I won't let you down. I'm going to save this world, even if it cost me my life. I'm sad when I see you like this, but I also feel something inside of me. Knowing that I can help you fills me with DETERMINATION."

Papyrus nodded, looking at her as she wiped his tears away and grinned at him. He thanked her, and the skeleton took her hand, saying that he knew where she could find a needle. He guided her in the lab, and she finally found what she needed. They decided that it would be better to go back home, just for safety reasons. They walked to the exit, the Amalgamate following them. Papyrus looked at him when they arrived at the stairs, and he patted its head. Lily hugged him tightly.

"I promise that someone will help you leave this place as soon as things will be back to normal." She said, and the creature whined before nudging his head against her own. "Thank you for everything, you are such a good boy."

She waved at him, before climbing the stairs with Papyrus. Hearing the dog whined again broke her heart, but she was certain that the skeleton will help him later. When they left the stairs, they were back in Undyne's laboratory. They walked back through Hotland together before stopping at Waterfall. Lily looked at the needle and then at the DETERMINATION's flask.

"Let's do it here." She told Papyrus, making him stop walking. "I think that it's a better place to stop me if something happens."

Lily filled the syringe with the flask's content before looking at Papyrus. She didn't know what would happen next, but whatever it was, she knew that they won't see each other anymore. She smiled softly at her friend, who had his hands in his pockets, staring at her. He was worried, but he needed to trust her. She was going to save him. His soul was still aching with pain because he also understood that it was her final move.

"Well, I guess this is the end." She said, lowering her head. "I-I was really happy to know you. Thank you for everything, for saving me, for being my friend. If it doesn't turn well, you can kill me right here. Promise me that you will do it if you're in danger."

"I promise." 

She nodded, thanking him again before raising her sleeve, and approaching the needle near her skin. She swallowed before digging it in her flesh, grimacing in pain. She injected the DETERMINATION in her arm, and then she dropped the syringe on the ground. Papyrus stared at her, sweat forming on his forehead. He was ready to protect himself if something turned wrong. Lily didn't feel anything for a few seconds, but suddenly, a sharp pain appeared in her soul. She gritted her teeth, falling on her knees because the pain was unbearable. The lazy skeleton took a step back, to give her space. She was holding her head, groaning in agony as she saw images flashing past her eyes. These visions were her memories, like the one she had seen before. Everything was coming back as her soul was reforming itself with the DETERMINATION. 

Her life was passing in front of her eyes, from her childhood, to what seemed like her last living day. She saw herself in her friend's car, laughing and singing. She also remembered how this vehicle on their right hadn't seen them, and how it had hit them hard, making the car she was in brutally turned inside out. She recalled how her head had smacked against the window, killing her on spot. 

Lily started screaming as the pain became more and more important. So she was dead ? But how did she ended up in the Underground if this accident had killed her ? She had heard a voice, calling her and telling her to stay determined, her soul scattering in two fragments. A part of her soul had disappeared but the other didn't want to die and had started to wander around to find help. And after hours looking for someone, it was too weak to continue, and it was ready to die in the middle of the snow. But this was when Papyrus saved it.

The white-haired lady smacked her head against the ground, hurting herself. But she didn't feel anything at the moment because the suffering and agony she was in was way worse than anything else. Papyrus approached her, calling her to see if she was still with him. Lily didn't respond, panting heavily as she was trying to catch her breath. It was too many information for her. And suddenly, it all stopped and when she opened her eyes, she was in a blank place. Lily looked around her, but she couldn't see anything.

"Where am I ?" She asked, her voice echoing through the large space she was in. "Did it work ?"

"Well done, my dear Lily!" A voice she knew suddenly exclaimed in a mocking tone. "By restoring your soul with DETERMINATION, you gave me access to it."

"W-What ?! No!! You can't do that!! I won't let you take my soul!!"

"I don't need your permission, you naive girl. Now, your body is mine!"

The white place, where Lily was, became darker and darker. It wasn't a blank space anymore, it was black and still empty. She couldn't feel anything, and her body wasn't responding. She couldn't let this murderer take her body! Papyrus was still out there, and he needed help! 

The skeleton was rubbing Lily's back as she was still panting on the ground. He didn't know what had happened, but it seemed that the girl had had a rough time. Now she was way more relaxed, but something was off. He had a bad feeling about it.

"L-Lily ?" He asked slowly. "Are you okay ?"

The pale girl smiled before starting to laugh maniacally. It wasn't Lily's laugh, it was too evil and weird. Papyrus immediately stepped back, making a Gaster Blaster appeared behind him. He was sweating a lot, and Lily's body started standing up. When she raised her head, her big smile was creepy and her eyes were glowing red. The skeleton knew this sensation, and he also knew this face too well.

"You... What did you do to Lily ?!"

"Your friend is gone. And now, I can finish what I have started. Shall we dance, comedian ?"

Papyrus gritted his teeth, and he jumped back when she took the syringe on the ground before throwing herself at him. He couldn't fight back because it meant that he was going to hurt Lily's body. Though he had promised her that he would kill her if something turned wrong, he couldn't do it. She was his friend, and he would never kill a friend no matter what. Papyrus tried stopping her with bones, but she was too fast. He groaned, dodging one of her attacks. She smiled even more, saying that she wouldn't miss him forever this time. The skeleton knew that he needed to be careful because he only had half a soul, meaning that one struck would dust him. 

Suddenly, he saw Lily's body stop moving. Her face frowned in confusion and anger. The white-haired girl was trying to take control back on her body. The murderer groaned as Lily's hand grabbed her throat.

"What are you doing ?! Stop this!! You're going to kill us!!"

"Leave this body!! I need it to help my friend!!"

"You can't help him!! Let me kill this stupid monster!!"

The two voices were mixing up, creating an awful echoing. Papyrus watched them fight over the body, and he decided that it was time to act. He jumped on them, holding Lily's body on the ground so the murderer couldn't do anything. 

"Give me back my friend!!" He yelled, and it was so deep and sincere that it reached Lily.

Their face winced in hatred, feeling that the owner of this body was coming back. They struggled under Papyrus, hitting him hard in the rib with all their strength. The skeleton grunted before falling back, and then, they stopped moving. Inside Lily's soul, she was fighting to gain back control. She struggled a long time, and suddenly, everything went black. 

When Lily opened her eyes, she saw the beautiful sparkling stars of Waterfall. She moaned in pain before sitting, holding her head. Was it over ? The child murderer, was it gone ? She sighed, rubbing her temple before thinking about something. Making her soul appeared, she smiled. It was complete and glowing in a wonderful red color. She did it! Now, she could reset everything! The girl turned her head toward Papyrus who was on the ground, but her smile fainted. He was having a hard time breathing. She crawled toward him, taking the skeleton in her arms, against her and checking his HP. It didn't have any.

"P-Papy! Papy! Stay with me!!" She yelled, tears forming in her cold blue eyes. "Please!!"

"I'm... sorry. I let my guard down for a moment." He said weakly, smiling a bit. 

Lily checked is something had changed inside of her, but even if her soul was complete, she couldn't reset. She started crying, holding Papyrus closer and trying to heal him. But her healing powers were gone. She sobbed, hugging him. Papyrus touched her hair, watching her.

"Hey, don't cry. It's going to be okay, buddy."

"I... My soul is complete, but... I can't find any reset power in me! I-I don't understand..." She was panicked. "Papyrus, don't leave me. What will I do without you ?"

"Go back... to the surface. You can live on your own, now. but please, don't forget me..."

Papyrus closed his eye sockets, and the next second, Lily was holding dust. She stared at it, big tears pouring down her cheeks and falling on the ground. He was gone. Her heart was aching while she cried on Papyrus' dust, crushing some in her hands.

"Papy, no... Please, come back... Papyrus!!" She hid her face behind her hands. "I'm sorry, I was selfish. I wanted... I wanted to stay here with you! I thought that I would be enough for you to be happy! I was so wrong! I wanted to help you, but I wasn't determined enough! Papyrus, please, forgive me!!!"

She sobbed for a few minutes before standing up, staring at her feet. What was she doing ? Crying wasn't going to help. She couldn't give up on him now. He wanted her to go back to the surface ? She was going to do it. But not without everyone else. Lily closed her eyes. She could hear her soul echoing inside her. 

Stay determined. Stay determined. 

It was a thin light of hope, but she was going to make it grow. She reached for this light deep inside her. Suddenly, within the depths of her soul, something's resonating.

RESET ?  
Yes ◀ No

\-----------------------------------------

"Brother!! Wake up!!"

"Yeah, yeah. Just give me a couple of months."

"Nooo!! We're going to jog with Alphys this morning, come on!!"

Papyrus sighed, and he sat in his bed as his brother was leaving the room, excited. The lazy skeleton yawned before looking outside and smiling when the sunlight touched his face. Everything was back to normal, and monsters were now living in peace with humans on the surface world. It was a beautiful dream becoming true. 

The monster stood up before dressing up, and he left his room. Sans was cooking breakfast for both of them, and he hugged his brother as soon as he entered the kitchen.

"Papy! Are you ready for your training today ? Because I, the Magnificient Sans, am more than ready!!"

"I don't know, bro. I'm bone-tired today." He said, smiling at his awful pun. "No seriously, I think I'm going to stay here this morning, I don't feel so well."

"You better not be sick again, Papyrus!"

They ate their breakfast, Sans telling his brother how excited he was for today training, and then he was gone, leaving the taller skeleton alone at home. Papyrus sighed, sitting on the sofa. It was a beautiful day outside, birds were singing, flowers were blooming. On days like this, Papyrus wanted to do nothing. He closed his eye sockets, ready to take a quick nap when someone rang the doorbell. Confused, he stood up lazily before walking to the door and grabbing the handle. He opened the door and was faced with a bouquet of lily flowers and a familiar friendly grin which brought tears to his eyes.

"Good morning, Papyrus. It's been a while, right ?"


End file.
